Tank



7 1,642,799 p 1927- WfM. WARD TANK Filed June 2, 1926 z z I I atten v Patented Sept. 20, 1927 v uni-T D WILLIAM M; WARD, on MABION, onto.

TANK.

Application filed June 2,

This invention has. for its object the provision of simple and' inexpensive means whereby rain water,which is collected in a cistern, may be cleaned in its passage from a roof to the cistern so that the collection of sediment in the cistern will. be minimized or entirely eliminated and the necessity for frcquently cleaning the cistern will be overcome. The invention provides means for the stated purpose which is simple and inexpen: sive in construction and may be installed in the basement of a dwelling or in a kitchen or other point where convenient and it will operate automatically and continuously with little or no attention from the user. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing and will be hereinafter fully set forth.

The drawing is a view, partly in elevation and partly in vertical section, of an apparatus embodying the invention.

In the drawing, the reference numeral 1 indicates a dwelling or other structure having its roof of such form that rain water falling thereon will be directed into one or more gutters 2 and then flow through downspouts 3 to such point as may be preferred where it will be delivered into a tank 4. The downspouts 3 are merged into a conduit 5 which has a branch 6 passing through the side of the tank 4 near the top thereof and terminating within the tank in a U-shaped delivery nozzle 7. The tank 4 is preferably constructed of sheet metal and may be of any desired form and dimensions and should be of at least fifteen gallons capacity. The tank is preferably mounted upon .a bench or' other supporting frame 8 and is equipped in its bottom with a drain faucet 9 through which the accumulations may be drawn off from time to time as may be advisable.

The water flowing from the roof through the downspouts 3 will eventually reach the outlet nozzle 7 and will overflow from the open upwardly directed terminal thereof so that it will be delivered into the tank wittout appreciable velocity and will accordingly drop to the bottom of the tank without any perceptible agitation which would prevent separation of the dirt and other foreign matters contained therein. The outlet from the tank is provided by an inverted U-shaped pipe 10 having one branch disposed within the tank and equipped at its lower end with a strainer or filter 11 of any approvedform. The bridging portion 12 of the, outlet pipe 1926'. Serial Nb. 113,350:

passes through the side of the tank near the top thereof and directs the water into the outer downwardly directed member 13 of the pipe which leads directly into the cistern, a portion of which is indicated. at 14L The strainer or filter 11 is located in spaced relation to the bottom of the tank 4 so that the water may rise'into the outlet pipe while permitting the impurities to settle to the bottom of the tank, the entrance of the water into the outlet pipe, consequently, being ac complished gently and without the creation of currents or eddies which would interfere with the effective separation of the impurities and possibly carry some foreign matters through the strainer or filter. Communicating with and rising from the bridging portion 12 of the outlet pipe is a vent or nozzle 15 which projects above the top of the tank and is open throughout its extent so that air which might be trapped in the outletpipe may escape and the possible formation of a vacuum will be prevented. 1f

the outlet pipe were closed to outside air 1 throughout its extent, a suction might be created which would interfere with the desired gentle entrance of the water into the outlet pipe and unless the water did enter the outlet pipe without any appreciable pressure the successful operation of the device would not be attained. The tank is preferably covered by a lid 16 which may be of any suitable material. and is hinged to one side of the tank, as indicated, the cover being provided with a notch or opening, indicated at 17 to accommodate the vent nozzle 15.

My device is exceedingly simple and may be very easily constructed and installed at a low cost. After it has once been installed, it will operate without any attention fromthe owner or user except at long intervals when it may be necessary or desirable to remove accumulated foreign matters. Thewater which eventually is delivered into the cistern will be free of impurities and the cistern may be used without cleaning through a long period of years.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

Means for the purpose set forth comprising a tank, a water-delivering pipe leading into the tank and having a vertically elongated U-sha'p'ed terminal within the tank whereby the water will be discharged through overflow, the outlet of said terminal being disposed near the top of the tank, and

aoistern-feeding outlet pipe having a portion extending downwardly outside the tank into a cistern, another portion extending downwardly Within the tank and terminating above the bottom thereof and a bridging portion leading through a side of the tank at a height above the bottom of the tank at least equal to the height of the outlet of the U-shaped terminal of the Water-delivering pipe, an air vent rising. from the said bridging portion, and a screen carried by and extending across the lower end of the portion Within the tank. I

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature.

WILLIAM M. WARD. [14s.] e 

